Abstract Expressionism | Modern Art | Contemporary Art

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Abstract Expressionism took off in America shortly after The Second World War. Roughly the same time as the similar Art Informel art movement was emerging in Paris, and spreading across much of Europe. In both cases, the pre-war geometrical approaches to art in Cubism, Futurism, De Stijl and other geometric and/or figurative art were being rejected in favour of a new art that ignored traditional views on representation, control, and premeditation.
Abstract Expressionism's success in engaging with the wider public moved the centre of the art world from Paris to New York, where it continued to be a major centre for Andy Warhol and Pop Art, and where Abstract Expressionisms effect still remains today. As many of the leading Abstract Expressionist's were from New York and met at Greenwich Village's Cedar Tavern, Abstract Expressionism is sometimes referred to as the New York School.
Although the term Abstract Expressionism was used as far back as 1919 in relation to German Expressionism, and was even used in America in 1929 referring to work by Vasily Kandinsky, it is commonly used today to refer to the American post-World War II movement of the 1940's and 50's. As it's name suggests, Abstract Expressionism aimed to create art that expressed emotion without resorting to any representational form. However, this is only a loose definition. Non-abstract does feature in Abstract Expressionism. The term was first used referring to the New York School by Robert Coates in a 1946 edition of the New Yorker, describing the work of Hans Hofmann.
Despite clearly deviating from modernist art movements that preceded it, the influence of early twentieth century art is apparent in Abstract Expressionism. For example Surrealism, German Expressionism , Automatism and Picasso. In particular relating to direct expression from the unconscious. Abstract Expression is seem by many as Americas greatest contribution to Modernism, and it would seem, drew more influence from the figurative work of the first half of the twentieth century than it did the abstract. Artists such as Max Ernst and Piet Mondrian that had fled Europe during the war for America, were influential in the rise of Abstract Expressionism. It incorporated many different styles and methods, but what united the Abstract Expressionist artists was the approach and attitude to the creation of art, more than any apparent similarities between the finished works.
Despite including various styles, Harold Rosenberg and Clement Greenberg identified two main groups in Abstract Expressionism: The Action Painters, and the Color-Field Painters. Broadly speaking, the Action Painters,, like Jackson Pollock who subsequently became known as 'Jack the Dripper', would work erratically and loosely sometimes dripping paint on to the canvas from above. The Colour-Field Painters would concentrate on areas of flat colour and simplistic composition.
A third group, similar to the Action Painters was identified as Abstract Impressionism. Similar to action painting, but with more of a preconceived idea of what the painting will look like. Notable artists include Willem de Kooning, Arshile Gorky, Philip Guston, Franz Kline, Robert Motherwell, Jackson Pollock, Clyfford Still, Mark Rothko, Barnett Newman, Ad Reinhardt and David Smith.
In the 60's movements such as Pop Art and Minimalism had become popular, and replaced Abstract Expressionism as the major art movement in New York and across the western world.
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